The sophistication of computer gaming has steadily increased since the early days of computer based games. Modern computer games provide sophisticated multimedia environments involving 3-D graphics and sound to gamers and may allow multiplayer interaction over a network such as the Internet. Gaming enthusiasts typically play computer games on a platform, which may be, for example, a personal computers or dedicated gaming consoles such a the Xbox Video Game Console manufactured by Microsoft Corporation.
The rich depth of modern gaming generates gaming communities of enthusiasts who may desire to share their experiences, tips, hints, opinions, etc. It is desirable to share an actual multimedia experience between a gamer and an interested spectator. In particular, providing interested spectators access to the experience of a particular game provides a self-sustaining marketing environment for game titles and gaming platforms in which spectators may become immersed in the multimedia experience of game play before they have actually purchased a particular game title or gaming platform. In addition, as games have become rich multimedia experiences unto themselves, viewing of game play may become of interest to the general public regardless of whether they ultimately desire to play the game.
However, several issues arise with respect to providing spectators access to a gaming environment. First, the spectator may not have access to the same platform as the gamer. The platforms on which spectators may desire to experience game play may provide a heterogeneous set of resources for graphics and sound generation. In addition, potential spectators may be coupled to a network with varying degrees of bandwidth capability. For example, a spectator may own a personal computer but not a gaming console on which a gamer plays a particular title. Alternatively, a spectator may have access to the same platform as a gamer but may not have installed the specific title on their platform that they desire to observe.
Thus, a need exists for a method and system in which interested spectators may observe game play of a gamer on a wide variety of platforms and regardless of whether the spectators have access to the gaming title itself or the platform on which the game is played.